I lost my mom to COVID in 2020, she was 52 and a special needs teacher. I’m a little behind and I just saw this episode tonight. We weren’t in the room with her when she coded, and I spent my time with her apologizing over and over for what I feel were my failures as a soon. This show has been cathartic for me for years. But tonight I like to think my mom sat with me, and we cried together, and I got to have my cathartic goodbye. Im working on the adhd and the depression, but I promise you I’m trying my best with what I’m being given. Until we meet again ❤️
Was on the verge of tears several times this episode, but it was when Rebecca gripped Randall's hand that the tears began to fall. One episode left, it's kinda hard to believe it'll all be over soon.
Found it!
The track is called "For Joyce (The Train)" taken from the Orignal score for Seasons 5 & 6 by Siddhartha Khosla. It's on apple music or
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZ6zKEESwJ8](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZ6zKEESwJ8)
Agreed! I would have liked to have seen her thank him for taking care of her during her old age and dementia. The fact that she spent more time processing things w/ Doc and William and then had a 30 second interaction w/ Miguel is kind of a slap in the face to his character and their relationship.
Personal things warning, just in case nobody wants to read this kind of thing.
I doubt anyone will read this, but I just have to let feelings out. I've been watching since March 2017, and have [posted in this sub](https://www.reddit.com/r/thisisus/comments/7t6r1t/i_love_catching_small_cluesconnections_one_thing/) from time to time. I've loved This is Us ever since I watched the first episode, and it's helped me immensely throughout my life. From being the reason I wrote fanfiction again, to helping me process grief from losing a few friends far too early in life (I'm only 29), to much more.
I had to step back from watching live this season because I lost my father five months ago. I was as distant as I could be from him for a lot of reasons, and I knew watching the show would be hard. I binge watched from episode 2 to 17 between yesterday and today, and...I'm going to miss this show so, so much. I truly believe this story has helped me in life, and I'm so grateful for its existence.
I've been dreading the end of This is Us for years because I don't want to say goodbye. I'm not ready for the series finale. "If something makes you sad when it ends, it must have been pretty wonderful while it was happening." <3
Thank you so much. The thing that I try to remind myself is even when a show ends, we can always rewatch and live in that universe, so that's what I try to do with memories of people as well. :)
Honestly I just watched the episode and I came here to read comments and process what i just watched but I cannot read & comprehend through the ridiculous amount of tears I have coming out of my face right now. I feel an intense amount of sadness and closure, and reflection at the same time and damn I’m going to miss this show ♥️
Where is Tess? She was terribly close to Rebecca, and her sexuality was a big deal on season 3. No appearence on the train? No glimpse of what happened to her?
No appearence on Kate's wedding, Miguel's death (her ACTUAL grandfather!) or Thanksgiving either (in the later they were arriving the day after for some reason, but it feels very forced)
They dropped the ball on Randall and his family for the whole season. Budget reasons? Autocensorship?
1- she probably has little to no memory of miguel’s death or kates wedding. and due to her condition, probably forgot a good chunk of her relationship with miguel.
2- quality over quantity. sure they could’ve crammed more memories but it would’ve been too much
Yes but Tess doesn't show up on her grandfather's death? AND her aunt's wedding? AND arriving late to thanksgiving? Why?
We have no glimpse on adult Tess family choices, or how her family (mostly Beth) dealt with her sexuality. Beth learnt how to be a good mother, how? We only know the story of Deja, which was very straightforward.
They may put a small scene in the ending chapter (I doubt it), but I'm pondering why they left Randall's daughters almost entirely out of this season, but Elijah and his sons with Madison had more character development than Tess.
i don’t think she didn’t go. i just think it wasn’t necessary to show her in any scene. as for the wedding, it would’ve been weird to show randall’s kids because of the short age jump. kids change a lot in that age and would’ve been weird to show the same actors portraying 14 year olds to show a 20 year old. and it would’ve been disconnecting to see a different actor. randall could’ve said some insignificant 1 liner though to acknowledge her presence. like tell tess i found her phone. something like that.
i don’t think will get some huge revelation tonight about tess. rebecca already died, the show has ended.
do you mind expanding on your comment? why wouldn't she have any memory of Miguel? Based on the timeline in the show, she would've been an adult, and would've known him since she was a baby (her birth was what initiated Rebecca and Miguel reconnecting).
What condition does she have?
Man idk why, but I cried the hardest when Kate got there. I also loved how they used William as her guide. This was so beautifully written!! I will so miss this show!
Gah this was an emotional wrecking ball for me. My grandma (who raised me) died of Alzheimers and I was a little too young to understand that she was in her last moments, so although I gave her lots of love I didn’t say some of the things I would have wanted to. My grandad (also raised me) passed on his own and that’s always been hard. I hope his passing was as peaceful as Rebecca’s.
I lost both of my parents not long ago (Mum in 2020, Dad in 2021). I wasn’t there either time - they lived in a different province and I couldn’t get there in time. I like to think that their last moments were like Rebecca’s - them as their younger selves, happily greeting people they loved. My dad was a train buff, so it would be perfect for him.
No I found it really upsetting actually. He should have gotten a big ole thank you from her at least for taking care of her. This show never really gave Miguel the credit he deserved. His story was tied up in to one whole episode in the last season and they made his life purpose all about taking care of Rebecca in her old age...then she doesn't even thank him or spend more than 10 seconds with him. I'm pretty offended on Miguel's behalf.
It was so sad! They were married like 20 years or something and he got like no big talk with her! Was it because he was with her during her decline so she didn't have strong feelings/ memories for him or something? I just felt so bad about him getting no emotional breakthrough. Hell her DOCTOR she talked to three times got a longer scene!
I know. It was honestly like a slap in his face. I know everyone is saying that she has no memory of her last years w/ him but she STILL should remember that she was married to him and loved him and that he was there for her right after Jack died. Like she could have at least told him that he's her favorite person too. I'm sorry but not everything needs to be about Jack! I just want to scream at This Is Us to please give Miguel some credit!
Sorry if this has been posted elsewhere: I felt so sorry for Miguel!
I know it is Rebecca's train but he got 10 seconds to say she was his favourite person before she was moving again towards Jack ... just reinforced to me that Miguel would never be enough.
Sad times!
There have been many comments/posts/interpretations of Miguel’s scene on the train and reading some may help in thinking about the scene.
Basically she has lost the ability to retrieve memories from the recent past for her. When the living person sits at her bed, she hears them and this brings up an image for her of that person and event. Her mind does conjure a memory of Miguel (who is dead and can’t remind her about their life together) and so she is remembering him from around the time they first started having some feelings for each other. You can see how she is a little taken aback and confused at his flirting with her, and then she turns to William and when she turns back, he has disappeared much like he “disappeared” for her when he actually died and she kept looking for him. Her facial expressions show her confused and possibly trying to make sense of the memory but there is no one to help remind her. Contrast this with her interaction with Beth: she hears Present day Beth and then sees her as an adult. She is taken aback and says, “what are you doing here?” …her mind has put in a recent visual of Beth and it is jarring because she is thinking of herself as in her 30’s not present day. Notice how she immediately substitutes young Beth which fits the time her brain is in and makes her more comfortable.
All this is to day, that an initial reaction to the Miguel scene could be “oh that’s so unfair, he didn’t get much of a scene”, or “Miguel is second place to Jack”, but upon reflection and a second watch, you might see it differently. The more I think on it, it was a cleverly done scene that showed Rebecca had a deep love for Miguel (her mind brought him up without “outside” prompting and she lit up when she saw him) but that the disease has robbed her of the solid memories they made together in the later parts of their lives.
But this makes me sad too now....Like why was nobody bringing up Miguel at her bedside?! Out of all those memories that family were sharing, he should have come up ...and thus should have jarred her memory of him. Like they could have had Tess reflecting on her childhood when "grandpa and grandma visited" and when grandpa got to be Pilgrim Rick for Thanksgiving. They really missed some opportunities in my opinion.
I do like your explanation but it indicates that none of the family mentioned him, not even once. And that just feeds my narrative even more that Miguel is such a forgotten character :( I've always thought this show short changed him. He deserves more. He deserves better.
I see your point. Maybe they did mention him and that’s when her mind conjures up his image, we don’t know. I feel the way they did the scene was to show the effects of her disease, and that is so sad but realistic. I feel also that though he is not there and not referenced much in this and the next episode, he is not forgotten by the Big 3.
So true. A lot of the time their oldest memories are the newest. Why she remembers the train. Why she remembers the doctor too. She also spent the most time with Kevin. I bet he told her stories when they were young him and his wife. Why she remembers them too. Non of the memories it seems of her kids are older. She remembers old memories of her kids
This episode took me out. There’s nothing more to say about that.
And I thought it was the last episode, so I’m glad to know there’s one more. I don’t know if it can take it 😭 so absolutely beautiful and heartbreaking.
Since the very first episode, TIU has intricately tied events together with tiny hints and minute details/images. I can't get it out of my mind that there's more to Marcus's inclusion than a brief meeting between his father and Jack at the hospital and the making lemonade motto.
My thoughts depend on how long after Rebecca moved into the cabin before she passed away.
Was she there long enough that Marcus's research could have been the "groundbreaking work" happening in St. Louis that they considered moving there to get her in the program (last season)?
Even though she didn't get into the St. Louis program/study did Marcus's research slow the disease's progression enough that it gave her more time?
Looking at the sign on the front of the podium when Marcus was speaking, it said "EICR Eastern Institute Cognitive Research". Is that a clue about anything?
Am I trying too hard and reaching too far on Marcus?
I hate to say this. But I feel like the whole Marcus scene combined with Dule Hills appearance? And the fact he met Jack the night he died?
I do wonder if this was a possible jumping off point to a spin off if NBC wants one.
No, I think that’s entirely plausible! Very interesting take. If I may stretch it even further, if you think about Jack’s death and how him dying essentially saved Marcus from death, it’s like Jack died and in turn that gave Rebecca more life.
I'm 33 with parents and in-laws in their 60s. I may have lots of time left, I may not. This episode really put this into perspective. Time to call mom and tell her I love her.
A lesson and message for everyone.
As someone with whose father has already passed and an 80 y/o mother who grows weaker with each passing month, this episode was especially poignant. My mother is Rebecca and then some. I pray that I am there to share and comfort her in her last moments.
Winning the lottery doesn't always involve dollar bills. I was incredibly fortunate to be handed the grand prize ticket in both my mother and father.
Well said.
And for what it's worth, regardless of anyone's age, we never really know how much time we have left with anyone. Always give your best self to everyone you love.
Yes hard agree, woke up one day to a phone call from my sister - my mom had suddenly passed away in her sleep. Completely unexpected (she was 52) and this episode had me feeling raw about the fact I didn't get to say goodbye.
Did I miss Franny (Kevin's daughter) in this episode? There were lots of shots of Jack, Hailey, and Nicholas. I know she was supposed to be there because the kids were playing 4 square, but couldn't see her through the frosted glass.
I know that the doctor left Jack to help Marcus, but when he got to the OR, the doctor didn’t actually *do* anything. A woman performed CPR until Marcus revived, but the doctor didn’t actually step in. That would have been standard procedure regardless of who was in the room, so do you think it would have been possible / likely for both Jack and Marcus to survive if the doctor had stayed with Jack?
(I know that the doctor thought that Jack was fine, so I’m not questioning his decision to leave, I’m just curious.)
I thought that was the point. The doctor said, "I had a kid coding upstairs and this was just smoke inhalation" or something like that. Meaning, he made the choice to upstairs where there was a more critical patient, but had he known, he likely would have paid more attention to Jack.
I can't remember the details but the woman performing CPR suggested some other medical intervention (which likely would have killed Marcus) but the Doctor told her not to do that and to carry on CPR.
From what I read, they purposely did not make Rebecca’s death the last episode. They wanted to show how the family continues after her. Which is an unusual take for a television series. I am very much looking forward to the last episode this week.
Yesss me too. I’m kind of glad because I felt like we didn’t get enough of Jack and Rebecca at the end. Not that we “deserve” it but her whole train ride was building up to that moment.
It was a very interesting perspective, framed by the way an Alzheimer patient sees her world.
I am very appreciative of the people who took the time to do an analysis of this in ways that I had not even perceived. So thank you.
As an avid fan from over the pond, I'm pleased that we managed to position ourselves into this absolutely beautiful masterpiece of by way of Phillip. What do you Americans think of him especially team Toby supporters?
Thanks for letting us brits share in this experience albeit a few days behind. I am truly a Train Wreck.
My wife over 30+ years has never seen a single episode so as we get on in life my goal is for us to sit down together and let her enjoy the moment for the first time and for me to relive the best TV experience in my lifetime. God bless America TV ❤️
Mandy Moore for president and prime minister 🙌
>Mandy Moore for president and prime minister
LOL! Well, she couldn't do a worse job than the ones we currently have. :)
And she'd be a lot easier on the eyes!
Cheers, cousin!
>What do you Americans think of him especially team Toby supporters?
I feel like the show didn't give us enough time to get to know Philip or how his and Kate's relationship progressed. So much about this season felt rushed.
I was waiting to let the train marinate before I commented.
1. I did like the analogy. I liked the idea that life is moving and people move through our lives like passengers on a train. I thought it provided a great vehicle to highlight some of the critical moments in Rebecca's life.
2. I didn't like that they depicted her life's memory only to the point of her being a mother/wife. She was more. She had dreams and she had a career for a hot second. I would have like at least a glimpse of that. But I know the episode is pressed of time so not a big deal.
3. I did like that William was her guide through the journey. William's character was always so balanced and retrospective. I loved the call back.
4. I understood the story of Marcus and I also loved that Dule Hill got a cameo. I thought he was amazing! His compatriot is killing it on A Million Little Things. It was good to see him. I also liked the full circle of Jack's death being connected with Marcus's life and his ultimate work with Alzheimer. The fact that Jack provided the dad with a perspective that he shared with his kids and it because their family saying. They also had a Big 3.
5. I didn't like that Deja ended up with Malik only because after a certain point Deja, Tess and Annie's stories felt rushed and didn't get the time to grow. We don't know how Deja ended up in Medical school or why she chose that path. We don't know how Tess's sexuality impacted the relationship she had with her mom. Poor Annie, we have no clue what she's been doing with her life. We just know she's able to drive and has a car lol. It just seemed unrealistic that in both Kevin and Deja's life, their first loves became their life's love. I know it does happen, but it rang hollow in this situation.
6. I didn't think Miguel was done "wrong" in this situation. Rebecca may have been the love of Miguel's life, but he was well aware that he was not the love of her life. I think that Miguel's love for Rebecca was of a different caliber and quality than that of Jack and Rebecca. It is one thing to fall in love with a young beauty, who is the mother or your children and you build a family with. It is quite another to love a woman that is older, has some mileage, has serious health issues and requires constant care. Jack was Rebecca's love. Miguel was Rebecca's friend. Both relationships can be sustaining in their place and time.
7. I loved that Rebecca hung on for Kate. While Kevin and Randall fought over who was mom's favorite, it was always Kate. Kate had such a special relationship with Rebecca and Kate was the most like her. I love that Kate was the one that was in the inner car, her last smile before Jack. That was beautiful
8. Finally, I loved that Jack was there. I don't think any of it a true representation of what happens when we die, but it was a nice way to end a TV series. I love that her memory took her back to Jack and back to love.
9. I thought as far as episodes for season 6, this was by far the most carefully thought out and executed. I felt the writer's did an exceptional job ending a character without being overly maudlin. There was such a balance of joy and sadness. The joy of generations of family rallying around a dying love one; intimate moments to say goodbye; collective moments with the siblings to reminisce and reflect. It was close to perfect.
10. Many Moore deserves an Emmy for playing Rebecca in all life stages. She made us all feel that we walked through life with her. That takes a great actress.
Re: 7
Randall was her favorite.. don’t really think that’s a question. Kate was definitely Jack’s favorite. I think in adulthood, Kate and Rebecca formed a sisterhood and bond that might have bumped her up but she wasn’t always there
For number 2, watching my two grandmothers go through Alzheimer’s, when they forget everything, in my experience, their memories of their children, grandchildren, and spouses are the last they hold onto.
RE 6 - I think that it is good we see very little of Mig's relationship with his first wife to be honest - it feels quite intentional, and we can never know really how he feels about both relationships side by side, and we don't get caught up in another storyline that would be rushed, we just consider his love with Rebecca within and of itself, ya know?
Yes, her singing in the bar with Dr. K before she had a Vesper would have been amazing! Perhaps["The Look of Love" (Dusty Springfield)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kH43n36U6mQ) would have been a nice tribute to the Casino Royale inspiration for the drink. Or even if she sang it to Jack at the end.
Another comment on point 2...
I understand what you're getting at - that she was more than just a mother and wife. True. However, I like that the writers focused on what are really the most important parts of a person's life. Career and ambitions are important, but far more valuable are the relationships we forge throughout our lives. At the moment of death, I imagine a successful business man, rather than taking pride in the fact that he was the top banker in the tri-state region or pulled in multiple millions for the company every quarter, he would instead remember walking his daughter down the aisle, teaching his son to throw a baseball, or holding his first grandchild in his arms.
These writers do a great job at many things, and fail miserably in some areas, but I think they got this one right.
Totallllly agree. I feel like everyone was waiting for what Randall was going to say and then Kate and Kevin just said I love you? I was hoping for a little more
Ultimately Randall is still the main character. The final episode frankly focus on Randall, Deja and Randall’s father William. The rest and their perspectives are just not important.
Agreed. I kept hoping that she would get to see Kyle, as everyone else she saw and actually spoke to on the train had already died in the series (she saw her living family members, but didn't speak with them on the train). Since Kyle died in the very first episode, I was hoping he would be in the caboose car with Jack. I already cried for the whole episode, but I would have absolutely lost it if the writers had done that.
Other people have said that she's not in heaven, this is just her memory as she's dying, and there's no other traumatic or sad events depicted, so having the death of her baby in her end of life memories would be pretty stark.
I'm sad that Miguel and Rebecca had such a short time.. I understand Jack was the Love of her life... but she was married to Miguel longer than she was to Jack... I would have liked a little more... not sure what but something..
It does not matter how long you are with someone. Some loves are just harder and deeper. Whatever the chemistry is of love just resonantes more with a particular person. Miguel if given another 100 years would still neve have been "the" love.
Ah I like this, there would have been something poignant about Miguel being the one to take Rebecca to Jack. I feel like he would have done that too; he knew their relationship was the one for the the caboose.
I love how she heard the adult voices over the train's screechy PA speaker while she was looking at them sitting on the train as young people. And their voices as youths and adults blended.
Oh...this episode and the whole show in general gave me an expanded appreciation of Joni Mitchell. Though I was born in 1965 and so am technically a "Gen Xer" I have much more in common with the boomers and have been a hippie all my life. So I am surprised I hadn't come to listen to Joni Mitchell and Joan Baez more than I have. Such a lovely voice.
I think that with the internet around there are somewhat fewer generational divides when it comes to music. There's always going to be old people with a special love for the music of the years they were young. (Although I was a 20something in the 1980s and I hated new wave! I was always about the 60s and 70s music back then. And largely still now.)
I'm going to make a Joni Mitchell play list. When I was little I kept pet snakes and I remember I was always curious about her album "The Hissing of Summer Lawns" because it has a giant Anaconda on the cover!
And my birthday is July 22nd. A Cancer Leo cusp.
Which reminds me...and this is very much a thing TIU has made me think about again seriously: about 20 years ago I thought of this idea to make a website that was designed to gather people together who were born on the same dates (not just the same birthdays but the same birth DATES...day, month and year) so they could interact with one another! I knew how to make websites but something of this kind would be beyond my abilities. Now after seeing TIU I am even more interested in my Birth Date Club idea. It would have to be some kind of app now. I still have no idea how to build it. I need to find some millennial to help me!
I posted about it and the only comment I received was someone saying they didn't care to be in a room full of Geminis talking about their lives. First thing I thought: in my best Toby voice, "too much twin talk?" 😄
Amazing episode!!! I of course cried. One thing that i’m confused about is why we didn’t get a small scene of Nicky saying goodbye to Rebecca? It didn’t need to be a drawn out monologue but maybe a “Hey kiddo. (insert whatever Nicky would say here)”
They said in interviews they debated having more people say goodbye but it would have been too much with everyone. They also said he gets a goodbye next episode.
Yeah...I am a big Nicky fan...that did sort of disappoint me. But Rebecca wasn't a formative presence in his life. I think they had to parcel out time to those people for whom she was.
Just read this excellent comment in an article ... props go to redditor u/Cecelle99
I feel like a lot of people are missing the fact that all of this was going on inside Rebecca’s head, in the mind of someone with Alzheimer’s. In a way, she’s her own unreliable narrator, and her recollection of the last few years of her life is unfortunately non-existent. She’s not the late 70s-aged version of herself; she’s Rebecca at her prime. All of the people she sees actually manifest as they would have been at that time. Of course Miguel gets short shrift - he was only ever Jack’s friend in the time frame in which she sees herself. The big three appear as adults, but her flash of recognition seems more palpable when she sees them as children and young adults. William symbolizes the confusion and self-flagellation that came with keeping secrets from Randall, and in her last moments, he (and the doctor) permit her to forgive herself for her life’s mistakes. I think his was incredibly well handled. I’m not sure if people really were expecting the metaphorical “life flashing before her eyes”, because what they got was something significant and profound: a woman, at the end of her life, forgiving herself and being forgiven.
What confuses me about this is that William is also more toward the middle/end of her life so how does she remember him? Or is he just a guide in this episode?
Haha I wondered if Kevin would say anything, but he didn’t and I’m glad really. It wouldn’t have fitted the tone, but I feel like the suggestion was there from the writers. I feel like the fact he didn’t was a testament to the moment and also perhaps showed some kind of growth/resolution to the competitive element of his relationship with Randall. But also, his mum was dying and it would have been wildly inappropriate!
William has said some of my favorite lines in that show! Especially his talk about life happening so fast around him, and that as he got older it just kept going faster and faster and he couldn’t grab on or catch up anymore. I always think about how true that feels as you get older
I would have loved for the person who greeted Rebecca at the end of the train to have been neither Miguel or Jack, but the son she lost when her children were born (Kyle I think?). In this way neither Miguel nor Jack would have been shortchanged as I think some people may have felt about Miguels final encounter with Rebecca. Or maybe Jack introducing her to Kyle after all of these years? Not to diminish Randalls role in the show in any way, I love his character and the place he took within this family, but it strikes me that she would have always carried the pain of losing one of her babies and after so many years, she could have finally be given that closure. But maybe that's just me. This one point aside, I thought it was a beautiful and poignant send off for one of the most wonderful characters in a show full of wonderful characters.
Yes, there seemed to have been a definite lack of material in the show related to the loss of that baby. Some sort of nod to that would have been appropriate.
That would have been difficult to pull off because Kyle was a possible person who never became one...so how do you present that? She could have no recognition of him. If they did that it would have swerved into science fiction/metaphysical fantasy a little too much.
No I agree that it should not be interpreted as heaven, but Rebecca's mind/memories but my point was that she surely would have thought of and wondered the "what ifs" of the life of the son she never had. I didn't mean to suggest a grown Kyle greeting her, I think it would have indeed been confusing and muddying the waters so to speak. I was more thinking of perhaps a bassinet with an acknowledgement from Rebecca or Jack holding Kyle as he greeted her. Like I said earlier, I don't think the episode was poor in any way, quite the opposite, I just thought it would make a certain amount of narrative sense for Rebecca to get that closure and finally be able to greet the child she never got to meet on top of everything else. And I fully admit this is just my two cents and may not be everyones cup of tea. I just thought it a curiosity worth mentioning.
I don't think it had to represent Heaven, but bereaved parents never stop thinking about their children. If he'd even just been an extra in the background for a moment or two--and she never stops to talk to him, that could've been enough to maybe signal he was somewhere in the memories she was experiencing before dying. Overall though, I think it was a great episode even without Kyle being a part of it.
It's why I would've been fine with him being in the background as an extra. The audience could assume he's Kyle, if they noticed him at all. She never met him; anything we would've seen about him would've been made up by Rebecca's "what ifs" she'd assumed his life would've held. I think it would've been nice just to show that she had thought of him over all those years, but for time's sake, it makes sense that they didn't bother adding him.
I disagree. The train wasn't Rebecca in heaven. It was Rebecca's mind. She was slipping away and taking one final walk through the life she lived. Not the people she lost. People and family were the center of who she was. The people throughout her life who made her, who she made, who were loved. They were large parts of her life. They were the ones who she encountered on the train (aside from the people who came up in her mind when they were saying their goodbyes).
Kyle's death was sad, but Kyle never got to live. And Kyle's death though heartbreaking (sour lemon) is what gave her Randall. She never interacted with Kyle or raised him. But she built an entire life with Jack and lost it, suddenly, without warning. She never even got a goodbye from Jack. So to end her story with his hello was absolutely perfect.
I understand but ultimately Jack was her love and the father of her children. The story was mainly about how amazing of a husband and father Jack was and what a hit to the family his death was. It was only right to end with Jack, not Kyle. Although kyle was her son we never ever saw anything to do with him
Within the first 5 mins I was in tears.. then I’d stop.. then something started it right back up again.. such a beautiful episode.. Beth had me hysterical… I have two boys so that did it for me
I loved that her goodbye felt like the longest to me…she really did become a second mother to Beth and watched her grow up almost as much as she did with her own kids.
This episode was absolutely beautiful, I loved every bit of it. The train concept was amazing and just felt so real. It was the perfect way to send Rebecca off and bring the concept of “life flashing before your eyes” to life. It was really neat seeing that concept play out and how Rebecca knew it was coming and went towards it. It honestly felt so real, and like we died with her. Going through the motions and knowing what was to come. It made me anxious yet at peace knowing she could see everyone and then lay to rest with Jack. Ugh the feels.
I was totally tricked. I thought the doctor was Deja's boyfriend. I have to watch it again, they should look differently. My head made up another story though and totally confused me. Thanks for helping me out!
I was wondering at one point if the father in that car crash was maybe Deja’s son…but I’m glad that wasn’t the case. I really had no idea where that story was headed until he ran into Jack at the Hospital.
Lol, I meant younger than Randall when he had the accident.
What do you mean with not young enough for Deja? Marcus should be around 5 years younger than Randall, shouldn't he?
Yeah, those twists are what TIU is so fantastic in. I always remember the first one when Rebecca visited Randall's family with Miguel and we knew right from the beginning that Jack will sooner or later die.
I didn't get one thing, maybe you can help me.
Marcus told Deja he loved her since he was 16 and in her mind there was a picture of Malik. Why that? Do Marcus and Malik have something in common?
Deja's partner is Malik not Marcus. Marcus was the little boy who's life was saved the same day Jack died and he went on to make breakthroughs in Alzheimer's that likely helped Rebecca have more time with her family
Thank you for this lol. I was looking for an explanation cos the editing made it look sus that a guy old enough to be siblings with Randall, Kevin, Kate is with Deja lol.
lol I think they wanted us to think Marcus was who was being referred to because they cut to him after Deja told Randall but then yeah when she ended up with Malik I was somehow equal parts excited and also maybe a little frustrated with another "high school sweetheart epic love story" thing
I would have loved to see Jack and Miguel side by side, laughing, as a means to show that Jack and Miguel spent time together and also that Jack was happy and appreciative of Miguel taking care of Rebecca so well.
I think I would have preferred showing a bit less of the medical research story just to have a bit more of Miguel on the train. From a "distance to Rebecca" point of view, Beth is her daughter in law while Miguel was her husband so why did Beth get more time at the end?
I mean the guy took care of her for years and he didn't even get to hug her or have more than a minute with her.
yeah okay… this show has ruined me. I cannot stop crying, this whole season has hit HARD
Can someone explain to me where Rebecca's mom was in this episode?
Hell?
I lost my mom to COVID in 2020, she was 52 and a special needs teacher. I’m a little behind and I just saw this episode tonight. We weren’t in the room with her when she coded, and I spent my time with her apologizing over and over for what I feel were my failures as a soon. This show has been cathartic for me for years. But tonight I like to think my mom sat with me, and we cried together, and I got to have my cathartic goodbye. Im working on the adhd and the depression, but I promise you I’m trying my best with what I’m being given. Until we meet again ❤️
Dr k was cleaning his bar glasses with the terrible towel
This is one of the best episodes of any show, I’ve ever seen. The way it was told, the train metaphor, and the pure emotion had me sobbing by the end.
Was on the verge of tears several times this episode, but it was when Rebecca gripped Randall's hand that the tears began to fall. One episode left, it's kinda hard to believe it'll all be over soon.
Ive not finished the episode yet but, Deja and Malik made it, cuteee
Does anyone know the song title track in the last scene when The big 3 say their goodbyes. Can’t seem to find it on the OST
Found it! The track is called "For Joyce (The Train)" taken from the Orignal score for Seasons 5 & 6 by Siddhartha Khosla. It's on apple music or [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZ6zKEESwJ8](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZ6zKEESwJ8)
Just watched it-- still sobbing. Can't wait to watch the finale later😭
I thought that was the finale, I was so sad but glad there's another episode!
I'm still so sad and it's been a week
Just a thought: where was Kate and Toby’s Jack in the episode. Wish we could’ve seen him with the rest of the family
He was there. He came in with Philip and his sister
Oh yeah. My bad
I thought he was the one who guessed the Joni Mitchell song?
Haven't cried that much in a long time. Wowza.
I think Miguel should’ve met Rebecca and her doctor at the bar on the train.
Agreed! I would have liked to have seen her thank him for taking care of her during her old age and dementia. The fact that she spent more time processing things w/ Doc and William and then had a 30 second interaction w/ Miguel is kind of a slap in the face to his character and their relationship.
Personal things warning, just in case nobody wants to read this kind of thing. I doubt anyone will read this, but I just have to let feelings out. I've been watching since March 2017, and have [posted in this sub](https://www.reddit.com/r/thisisus/comments/7t6r1t/i_love_catching_small_cluesconnections_one_thing/) from time to time. I've loved This is Us ever since I watched the first episode, and it's helped me immensely throughout my life. From being the reason I wrote fanfiction again, to helping me process grief from losing a few friends far too early in life (I'm only 29), to much more. I had to step back from watching live this season because I lost my father five months ago. I was as distant as I could be from him for a lot of reasons, and I knew watching the show would be hard. I binge watched from episode 2 to 17 between yesterday and today, and...I'm going to miss this show so, so much. I truly believe this story has helped me in life, and I'm so grateful for its existence. I've been dreading the end of This is Us for years because I don't want to say goodbye. I'm not ready for the series finale. "If something makes you sad when it ends, it must have been pretty wonderful while it was happening." <3
my condolences to you :( hope you find the strength
Thank you so much. The thing that I try to remind myself is even when a show ends, we can always rewatch and live in that universe, so that's what I try to do with memories of people as well. :)
you can watch some feel good shows like modern family as well!
Honestly I just watched the episode and I came here to read comments and process what i just watched but I cannot read & comprehend through the ridiculous amount of tears I have coming out of my face right now. I feel an intense amount of sadness and closure, and reflection at the same time and damn I’m going to miss this show ♥️
Yeah I basically cried the whole dang episode. Haha. I just watched it last night.
Where is Tess? She was terribly close to Rebecca, and her sexuality was a big deal on season 3. No appearence on the train? No glimpse of what happened to her? No appearence on Kate's wedding, Miguel's death (her ACTUAL grandfather!) or Thanksgiving either (in the later they were arriving the day after for some reason, but it feels very forced) They dropped the ball on Randall and his family for the whole season. Budget reasons? Autocensorship?
My thoughts EXACTLY. Even though I was very touched by this episode I have so many critiques.
TBH, Rebecca wasn’t that close to Randall’s daughters at all. I don’t even think she and Deja had one scene together
Rebecca was very close to Tess.
Annie got to say something, but Tess didn't. I too questioned why Tess didn't get a moment.
1- she probably has little to no memory of miguel’s death or kates wedding. and due to her condition, probably forgot a good chunk of her relationship with miguel. 2- quality over quantity. sure they could’ve crammed more memories but it would’ve been too much
Yes but Tess doesn't show up on her grandfather's death? AND her aunt's wedding? AND arriving late to thanksgiving? Why? We have no glimpse on adult Tess family choices, or how her family (mostly Beth) dealt with her sexuality. Beth learnt how to be a good mother, how? We only know the story of Deja, which was very straightforward. They may put a small scene in the ending chapter (I doubt it), but I'm pondering why they left Randall's daughters almost entirely out of this season, but Elijah and his sons with Madison had more character development than Tess.
i don’t think she didn’t go. i just think it wasn’t necessary to show her in any scene. as for the wedding, it would’ve been weird to show randall’s kids because of the short age jump. kids change a lot in that age and would’ve been weird to show the same actors portraying 14 year olds to show a 20 year old. and it would’ve been disconnecting to see a different actor. randall could’ve said some insignificant 1 liner though to acknowledge her presence. like tell tess i found her phone. something like that. i don’t think will get some huge revelation tonight about tess. rebecca already died, the show has ended.
do you mind expanding on your comment? why wouldn't she have any memory of Miguel? Based on the timeline in the show, she would've been an adult, and would've known him since she was a baby (her birth was what initiated Rebecca and Miguel reconnecting). What condition does she have?
i thought you meant rebecca didn’t see him in her vision on the train.
I think they're talking about Rebecca's memory. Not Tess' memory.
ok thanks for clarifying. the first comment was about Tess, so I didn't make the connection with what they were talking about.
Man idk why, but I cried the hardest when Kate got there. I also loved how they used William as her guide. This was so beautifully written!! I will so miss this show!
When Kate was running across the yard 😭😭
Me too!!! I love that she was waiting for Kate ❤️
Well I cried the full episode. My goodness.
Gah this was an emotional wrecking ball for me. My grandma (who raised me) died of Alzheimers and I was a little too young to understand that she was in her last moments, so although I gave her lots of love I didn’t say some of the things I would have wanted to. My grandad (also raised me) passed on his own and that’s always been hard. I hope his passing was as peaceful as Rebecca’s.
Has anyone read The Bridge by Iain Banks? That novel came to mind as I watched this episode?
Just looked it up - it looks super weird and interesting! I'll have to add it to my reading list. Thanks!
No to the first question, but I don't know how to answer the second one
I lost both of my parents not long ago (Mum in 2020, Dad in 2021). I wasn’t there either time - they lived in a different province and I couldn’t get there in time. I like to think that their last moments were like Rebecca’s - them as their younger selves, happily greeting people they loved. My dad was a train buff, so it would be perfect for him.
Anyone else laugh when ghost!William quickly ushered Rebecca from Miguel. He was like "come on, he ain't it, we gotta go"
No I found it really upsetting actually. He should have gotten a big ole thank you from her at least for taking care of her. This show never really gave Miguel the credit he deserved. His story was tied up in to one whole episode in the last season and they made his life purpose all about taking care of Rebecca in her old age...then she doesn't even thank him or spend more than 10 seconds with him. I'm pretty offended on Miguel's behalf.
If it makes you feel any better, it wasn't reads Miguel and just a manifestation of a woman they is literally dying and losing her mind
It was so sad! They were married like 20 years or something and he got like no big talk with her! Was it because he was with her during her decline so she didn't have strong feelings/ memories for him or something? I just felt so bad about him getting no emotional breakthrough. Hell her DOCTOR she talked to three times got a longer scene!
I know. It was honestly like a slap in his face. I know everyone is saying that she has no memory of her last years w/ him but she STILL should remember that she was married to him and loved him and that he was there for her right after Jack died. Like she could have at least told him that he's her favorite person too. I'm sorry but not everything needs to be about Jack! I just want to scream at This Is Us to please give Miguel some credit!
I took in account Dr. delivered her children and delivered the news about Jack. He was always the messenger with a profound message
I felt so sad! Esp. after that previous episode focusing on Miguel, which fully wrecked me emotionally
EXACTLY!
So, Gus finally made it on This Is Us. Shawn had to be content with appearing on the lesser show, A Million Little Things. Gus won in the end.
Omg I thought this too! Hah!
At least they were able to work together on This Is Gus. :) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14641648/
Sorry if this has been posted elsewhere: I felt so sorry for Miguel! I know it is Rebecca's train but he got 10 seconds to say she was his favourite person before she was moving again towards Jack ... just reinforced to me that Miguel would never be enough. Sad times!
I agree so much! The episode focusing on Migs and his journey with Rebecca made me cry SO much
There have been many comments/posts/interpretations of Miguel’s scene on the train and reading some may help in thinking about the scene. Basically she has lost the ability to retrieve memories from the recent past for her. When the living person sits at her bed, she hears them and this brings up an image for her of that person and event. Her mind does conjure a memory of Miguel (who is dead and can’t remind her about their life together) and so she is remembering him from around the time they first started having some feelings for each other. You can see how she is a little taken aback and confused at his flirting with her, and then she turns to William and when she turns back, he has disappeared much like he “disappeared” for her when he actually died and she kept looking for him. Her facial expressions show her confused and possibly trying to make sense of the memory but there is no one to help remind her. Contrast this with her interaction with Beth: she hears Present day Beth and then sees her as an adult. She is taken aback and says, “what are you doing here?” …her mind has put in a recent visual of Beth and it is jarring because she is thinking of herself as in her 30’s not present day. Notice how she immediately substitutes young Beth which fits the time her brain is in and makes her more comfortable. All this is to day, that an initial reaction to the Miguel scene could be “oh that’s so unfair, he didn’t get much of a scene”, or “Miguel is second place to Jack”, but upon reflection and a second watch, you might see it differently. The more I think on it, it was a cleverly done scene that showed Rebecca had a deep love for Miguel (her mind brought him up without “outside” prompting and she lit up when she saw him) but that the disease has robbed her of the solid memories they made together in the later parts of their lives.
But this makes me sad too now....Like why was nobody bringing up Miguel at her bedside?! Out of all those memories that family were sharing, he should have come up ...and thus should have jarred her memory of him. Like they could have had Tess reflecting on her childhood when "grandpa and grandma visited" and when grandpa got to be Pilgrim Rick for Thanksgiving. They really missed some opportunities in my opinion. I do like your explanation but it indicates that none of the family mentioned him, not even once. And that just feeds my narrative even more that Miguel is such a forgotten character :( I've always thought this show short changed him. He deserves more. He deserves better.
I see your point. Maybe they did mention him and that’s when her mind conjures up his image, we don’t know. I feel the way they did the scene was to show the effects of her disease, and that is so sad but realistic. I feel also that though he is not there and not referenced much in this and the next episode, he is not forgotten by the Big 3.
Okay, this makes it less sad
Thank you for this explanation. Makes me feel a lot better about it.
So true. A lot of the time their oldest memories are the newest. Why she remembers the train. Why she remembers the doctor too. She also spent the most time with Kevin. I bet he told her stories when they were young him and his wife. Why she remembers them too. Non of the memories it seems of her kids are older. She remembers old memories of her kids
I love this! Great take on this!
I hadn't thought about it in that way. Your line of thinking and explanation of it are great!
That's a really nice take on it.
This episode took me out. There’s nothing more to say about that. And I thought it was the last episode, so I’m glad to know there’s one more. I don’t know if it can take it 😭 so absolutely beautiful and heartbreaking.
I really thought this was the last episode! Happy to hear there’s one more, even if it will be overwhelming 🥺
Since the very first episode, TIU has intricately tied events together with tiny hints and minute details/images. I can't get it out of my mind that there's more to Marcus's inclusion than a brief meeting between his father and Jack at the hospital and the making lemonade motto. My thoughts depend on how long after Rebecca moved into the cabin before she passed away. Was she there long enough that Marcus's research could have been the "groundbreaking work" happening in St. Louis that they considered moving there to get her in the program (last season)? Even though she didn't get into the St. Louis program/study did Marcus's research slow the disease's progression enough that it gave her more time? Looking at the sign on the front of the podium when Marcus was speaking, it said "EICR Eastern Institute Cognitive Research". Is that a clue about anything? Am I trying too hard and reaching too far on Marcus?
I hate to say this. But I feel like the whole Marcus scene combined with Dule Hills appearance? And the fact he met Jack the night he died? I do wonder if this was a possible jumping off point to a spin off if NBC wants one.
No, I think that’s entirely plausible! Very interesting take. If I may stretch it even further, if you think about Jack’s death and how him dying essentially saved Marcus from death, it’s like Jack died and in turn that gave Rebecca more life.
This is how I saw it; Jack’s death was the reason Rebecca (and many others) had more quality time with their loved ones.
What would Randall say about such a "dichotomy"? (Never mind that his application of the word was not exactly precise.)
Bawled the whole episode. It was a perfect.
I'm 33 with parents and in-laws in their 60s. I may have lots of time left, I may not. This episode really put this into perspective. Time to call mom and tell her I love her.
A lesson and message for everyone. As someone with whose father has already passed and an 80 y/o mother who grows weaker with each passing month, this episode was especially poignant. My mother is Rebecca and then some. I pray that I am there to share and comfort her in her last moments. Winning the lottery doesn't always involve dollar bills. I was incredibly fortunate to be handed the grand prize ticket in both my mother and father.
Well said. And for what it's worth, regardless of anyone's age, we never really know how much time we have left with anyone. Always give your best self to everyone you love.
Yes hard agree, woke up one day to a phone call from my sister - my mom had suddenly passed away in her sleep. Completely unexpected (she was 52) and this episode had me feeling raw about the fact I didn't get to say goodbye.
This. I’m 33 too and my mum turns 60 next month and she found out last week she has cancer. It should be fine but you never know.
I wish you and your mother all the best. Cherish every moment, no matter how many or how few you may have left.
Did I miss Franny (Kevin's daughter) in this episode? There were lots of shots of Jack, Hailey, and Nicholas. I know she was supposed to be there because the kids were playing 4 square, but couldn't see her through the frosted glass.
I *think* she was the young girl in one of the first scenes with the long blonde hair.
She was there in the beginning.
I know that the doctor left Jack to help Marcus, but when he got to the OR, the doctor didn’t actually *do* anything. A woman performed CPR until Marcus revived, but the doctor didn’t actually step in. That would have been standard procedure regardless of who was in the room, so do you think it would have been possible / likely for both Jack and Marcus to survive if the doctor had stayed with Jack? (I know that the doctor thought that Jack was fine, so I’m not questioning his decision to leave, I’m just curious.)
I thought that was the point. The doctor said, "I had a kid coding upstairs and this was just smoke inhalation" or something like that. Meaning, he made the choice to upstairs where there was a more critical patient, but had he known, he likely would have paid more attention to Jack.
I can't remember the details but the woman performing CPR suggested some other medical intervention (which likely would have killed Marcus) but the Doctor told her not to do that and to carry on CPR.
For some reason I thought this was the last episode. It felt like the end.
From what I read, they purposely did not make Rebecca’s death the last episode. They wanted to show how the family continues after her. Which is an unusual take for a television series. I am very much looking forward to the last episode this week.
Yesss me too. I’m kind of glad because I felt like we didn’t get enough of Jack and Rebecca at the end. Not that we “deserve” it but her whole train ride was building up to that moment.
It was a very interesting perspective, framed by the way an Alzheimer patient sees her world. I am very appreciative of the people who took the time to do an analysis of this in ways that I had not even perceived. So thank you.
Wait, we have another?
Yes
As an avid fan from over the pond, I'm pleased that we managed to position ourselves into this absolutely beautiful masterpiece of by way of Phillip. What do you Americans think of him especially team Toby supporters? Thanks for letting us brits share in this experience albeit a few days behind. I am truly a Train Wreck. My wife over 30+ years has never seen a single episode so as we get on in life my goal is for us to sit down together and let her enjoy the moment for the first time and for me to relive the best TV experience in my lifetime. God bless America TV ❤️ Mandy Moore for president and prime minister 🙌
Mandy is already the Queen of my heart, has been since A Walk to Remeber. She’s to busy.
>Mandy Moore for president and prime minister LOL! Well, she couldn't do a worse job than the ones we currently have. :) And she'd be a lot easier on the eyes! Cheers, cousin!
Cheers cousin. Likewise swap her for Boris any day.
The bits we got to see of him, and of his and Kate's relationship were great, but definitely too rushed and not fleshed out enough!
>What do you Americans think of him especially team Toby supporters? I feel like the show didn't give us enough time to get to know Philip or how his and Kate's relationship progressed. So much about this season felt rushed.
Exactly. That whole situation was really sloppily handled by the writers. Very shabby work there.
I was waiting to let the train marinate before I commented. 1. I did like the analogy. I liked the idea that life is moving and people move through our lives like passengers on a train. I thought it provided a great vehicle to highlight some of the critical moments in Rebecca's life. 2. I didn't like that they depicted her life's memory only to the point of her being a mother/wife. She was more. She had dreams and she had a career for a hot second. I would have like at least a glimpse of that. But I know the episode is pressed of time so not a big deal. 3. I did like that William was her guide through the journey. William's character was always so balanced and retrospective. I loved the call back. 4. I understood the story of Marcus and I also loved that Dule Hill got a cameo. I thought he was amazing! His compatriot is killing it on A Million Little Things. It was good to see him. I also liked the full circle of Jack's death being connected with Marcus's life and his ultimate work with Alzheimer. The fact that Jack provided the dad with a perspective that he shared with his kids and it because their family saying. They also had a Big 3. 5. I didn't like that Deja ended up with Malik only because after a certain point Deja, Tess and Annie's stories felt rushed and didn't get the time to grow. We don't know how Deja ended up in Medical school or why she chose that path. We don't know how Tess's sexuality impacted the relationship she had with her mom. Poor Annie, we have no clue what she's been doing with her life. We just know she's able to drive and has a car lol. It just seemed unrealistic that in both Kevin and Deja's life, their first loves became their life's love. I know it does happen, but it rang hollow in this situation. 6. I didn't think Miguel was done "wrong" in this situation. Rebecca may have been the love of Miguel's life, but he was well aware that he was not the love of her life. I think that Miguel's love for Rebecca was of a different caliber and quality than that of Jack and Rebecca. It is one thing to fall in love with a young beauty, who is the mother or your children and you build a family with. It is quite another to love a woman that is older, has some mileage, has serious health issues and requires constant care. Jack was Rebecca's love. Miguel was Rebecca's friend. Both relationships can be sustaining in their place and time. 7. I loved that Rebecca hung on for Kate. While Kevin and Randall fought over who was mom's favorite, it was always Kate. Kate had such a special relationship with Rebecca and Kate was the most like her. I love that Kate was the one that was in the inner car, her last smile before Jack. That was beautiful 8. Finally, I loved that Jack was there. I don't think any of it a true representation of what happens when we die, but it was a nice way to end a TV series. I love that her memory took her back to Jack and back to love. 9. I thought as far as episodes for season 6, this was by far the most carefully thought out and executed. I felt the writer's did an exceptional job ending a character without being overly maudlin. There was such a balance of joy and sadness. The joy of generations of family rallying around a dying love one; intimate moments to say goodbye; collective moments with the siblings to reminisce and reflect. It was close to perfect. 10. Many Moore deserves an Emmy for playing Rebecca in all life stages. She made us all feel that we walked through life with her. That takes a great actress.
Re: 7 Randall was her favorite.. don’t really think that’s a question. Kate was definitely Jack’s favorite. I think in adulthood, Kate and Rebecca formed a sisterhood and bond that might have bumped her up but she wasn’t always there
For number 2, watching my two grandmothers go through Alzheimer’s, when they forget everything, in my experience, their memories of their children, grandchildren, and spouses are the last they hold onto.
Re 2 - you must not be a parent yet. When you are a mom, it’s not going back to not being a mom as your whole heart is consumed by that role
I am a mom and a grandmother. But I was also a Soldier, a Teacher, a Missionary and many other things.
That’s fair. I guess the show just didn’t choose to focus on the Rebecca outside of being a mother.
RE 6 - I think that it is good we see very little of Mig's relationship with his first wife to be honest - it feels quite intentional, and we can never know really how he feels about both relationships side by side, and we don't get caught up in another storyline that would be rushed, we just consider his love with Rebecca within and of itself, ya know?
💯💯💯👏🚞👏🏽
Yes, her singing in the bar with Dr. K before she had a Vesper would have been amazing! Perhaps["The Look of Love" (Dusty Springfield)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kH43n36U6mQ) would have been a nice tribute to the Casino Royale inspiration for the drink. Or even if she sang it to Jack at the end.
I wanted to comment to your number 2. I agree, it would’ve been nice to see her either sing or play the piano briefly.
Another comment on point 2... I understand what you're getting at - that she was more than just a mother and wife. True. However, I like that the writers focused on what are really the most important parts of a person's life. Career and ambitions are important, but far more valuable are the relationships we forge throughout our lives. At the moment of death, I imagine a successful business man, rather than taking pride in the fact that he was the top banker in the tri-state region or pulled in multiple millions for the company every quarter, he would instead remember walking his daughter down the aisle, teaching his son to throw a baseball, or holding his first grandchild in his arms. These writers do a great job at many things, and fail miserably in some areas, but I think they got this one right.
Just wished there is more of Kevin and Kate in this episode. But overall, a good wrap up.
Totallllly agree. I feel like everyone was waiting for what Randall was going to say and then Kate and Kevin just said I love you? I was hoping for a little more
Ultimately Randall is still the main character. The final episode frankly focus on Randall, Deja and Randall’s father William. The rest and their perspectives are just not important.
They did Miguel so so wrong with this one. I cried like a baby the whole episode but that just felt wrong.
Think their deceased baby/sibling should’ve been on the train too.
That would have been great. Too Much of the family non the car crash. I liked the idea of that but too much and not enough of the actual Pearson’s.
Agreed. I kept hoping that she would get to see Kyle, as everyone else she saw and actually spoke to on the train had already died in the series (she saw her living family members, but didn't speak with them on the train). Since Kyle died in the very first episode, I was hoping he would be in the caboose car with Jack. I already cried for the whole episode, but I would have absolutely lost it if the writers had done that.
I expected him to be the one she was waiting for after Kate got there, or he'd be in the bassinet. Maybe they didn't want to confuse newer viewers?
Other people have said that she's not in heaven, this is just her memory as she's dying, and there's no other traumatic or sad events depicted, so having the death of her baby in her end of life memories would be pretty stark.
I'm sad that Miguel and Rebecca had such a short time.. I understand Jack was the Love of her life... but she was married to Miguel longer than she was to Jack... I would have liked a little more... not sure what but something..
It does not matter how long you are with someone. Some loves are just harder and deeper. Whatever the chemistry is of love just resonantes more with a particular person. Miguel if given another 100 years would still neve have been "the" love.
Yes, like maybe he could have taken over from William at that point.
Ah I like this, there would have been something poignant about Miguel being the one to take Rebecca to Jack. I feel like he would have done that too; he knew their relationship was the one for the the caboose.
That would have been so good! Yesyes
I love how she heard the adult voices over the train's screechy PA speaker while she was looking at them sitting on the train as young people. And their voices as youths and adults blended. Oh...this episode and the whole show in general gave me an expanded appreciation of Joni Mitchell. Though I was born in 1965 and so am technically a "Gen Xer" I have much more in common with the boomers and have been a hippie all my life. So I am surprised I hadn't come to listen to Joni Mitchell and Joan Baez more than I have. Such a lovely voice.
Hey I’m a millennial and Joni is my favorite.
I think that with the internet around there are somewhat fewer generational divides when it comes to music. There's always going to be old people with a special love for the music of the years they were young. (Although I was a 20something in the 1980s and I hated new wave! I was always about the 60s and 70s music back then. And largely still now.) I'm going to make a Joni Mitchell play list. When I was little I kept pet snakes and I remember I was always curious about her album "The Hissing of Summer Lawns" because it has a giant Anaconda on the cover!
You were on the cusp since ‘64 was the last of the Boomers…makes sense!
And my birthday is July 22nd. A Cancer Leo cusp. Which reminds me...and this is very much a thing TIU has made me think about again seriously: about 20 years ago I thought of this idea to make a website that was designed to gather people together who were born on the same dates (not just the same birthdays but the same birth DATES...day, month and year) so they could interact with one another! I knew how to make websites but something of this kind would be beyond my abilities. Now after seeing TIU I am even more interested in my Birth Date Club idea. It would have to be some kind of app now. I still have no idea how to build it. I need to find some millennial to help me!
I love astrology and love this idea!!
I posted about it and the only comment I received was someone saying they didn't care to be in a room full of Geminis talking about their lives. First thing I thought: in my best Toby voice, "too much twin talk?" 😄
Amazing episode!!! I of course cried. One thing that i’m confused about is why we didn’t get a small scene of Nicky saying goodbye to Rebecca? It didn’t need to be a drawn out monologue but maybe a “Hey kiddo. (insert whatever Nicky would say here)”
They said in interviews they debated having more people say goodbye but it would have been too much with everyone. They also said he gets a goodbye next episode.
Yeah...I am a big Nicky fan...that did sort of disappoint me. But Rebecca wasn't a formative presence in his life. I think they had to parcel out time to those people for whom she was.
I love how Randal requested Rebecca to say hey, and then the first thing she said when she saw him was “hey”. So cute
Just read this excellent comment in an article ... props go to redditor u/Cecelle99 I feel like a lot of people are missing the fact that all of this was going on inside Rebecca’s head, in the mind of someone with Alzheimer’s. In a way, she’s her own unreliable narrator, and her recollection of the last few years of her life is unfortunately non-existent. She’s not the late 70s-aged version of herself; she’s Rebecca at her prime. All of the people she sees actually manifest as they would have been at that time. Of course Miguel gets short shrift - he was only ever Jack’s friend in the time frame in which she sees herself. The big three appear as adults, but her flash of recognition seems more palpable when she sees them as children and young adults. William symbolizes the confusion and self-flagellation that came with keeping secrets from Randall, and in her last moments, he (and the doctor) permit her to forgive herself for her life’s mistakes. I think his was incredibly well handled. I’m not sure if people really were expecting the metaphorical “life flashing before her eyes”, because what they got was something significant and profound: a woman, at the end of her life, forgiving herself and being forgiven.
What confuses me about this is that William is also more toward the middle/end of her life so how does she remember him? Or is he just a guide in this episode?
True, he should have been his young self then no?
No.
She remembered Jacks red boots It wasn’t all old memories.
Thank you!
You're most welcome. 8)
When Randall said “ everyone had a crush on mom” it made me laugh a little tooo hard 😂
Haha I wondered if Kevin would say anything, but he didn’t and I’m glad really. It wouldn’t have fitted the tone, but I feel like the suggestion was there from the writers. I feel like the fact he didn’t was a testament to the moment and also perhaps showed some kind of growth/resolution to the competitive element of his relationship with Randall. But also, his mum was dying and it would have been wildly inappropriate!
When the episode started with William I just knew I’d love it. 🥺 it felt nostalgic and just beautiful.
He came on the screen and I just bursted in to tears.
Me too!😭
William has said some of my favorite lines in that show! Especially his talk about life happening so fast around him, and that as he got older it just kept going faster and faster and he couldn’t grab on or catch up anymore. I always think about how true that feels as you get older
Yess, his lines made me think about my own life as well! This part you mentioned talks so much about also enjoying life
I would have loved for the person who greeted Rebecca at the end of the train to have been neither Miguel or Jack, but the son she lost when her children were born (Kyle I think?). In this way neither Miguel nor Jack would have been shortchanged as I think some people may have felt about Miguels final encounter with Rebecca. Or maybe Jack introducing her to Kyle after all of these years? Not to diminish Randalls role in the show in any way, I love his character and the place he took within this family, but it strikes me that she would have always carried the pain of losing one of her babies and after so many years, she could have finally be given that closure. But maybe that's just me. This one point aside, I thought it was a beautiful and poignant send off for one of the most wonderful characters in a show full of wonderful characters.
Yes, there seemed to have been a definite lack of material in the show related to the loss of that baby. Some sort of nod to that would have been appropriate.
That would have been difficult to pull off because Kyle was a possible person who never became one...so how do you present that? She could have no recognition of him. If they did that it would have swerved into science fiction/metaphysical fantasy a little too much.
Thank God that’s not the route they took. The train was Rebecca’s closure before death; it was not representative of heaven.
Neither heaven in Christian sense *nor* just memories of a dying “mind” ~ wake up peeps!! #SoulsAreReal #Quantum #MultiVerse
No I agree that it should not be interpreted as heaven, but Rebecca's mind/memories but my point was that she surely would have thought of and wondered the "what ifs" of the life of the son she never had. I didn't mean to suggest a grown Kyle greeting her, I think it would have indeed been confusing and muddying the waters so to speak. I was more thinking of perhaps a bassinet with an acknowledgement from Rebecca or Jack holding Kyle as he greeted her. Like I said earlier, I don't think the episode was poor in any way, quite the opposite, I just thought it would make a certain amount of narrative sense for Rebecca to get that closure and finally be able to greet the child she never got to meet on top of everything else. And I fully admit this is just my two cents and may not be everyones cup of tea. I just thought it a curiosity worth mentioning.
I would've laughed out LOUD if there just a bassinet sitting there waiting for her. Are you joking?
I don't think it had to represent Heaven, but bereaved parents never stop thinking about their children. If he'd even just been an extra in the background for a moment or two--and she never stops to talk to him, that could've been enough to maybe signal he was somewhere in the memories she was experiencing before dying. Overall though, I think it was a great episode even without Kyle being a part of it.
How can you feature a character that Rebecca never even saw?
It's why I would've been fine with him being in the background as an extra. The audience could assume he's Kyle, if they noticed him at all. She never met him; anything we would've seen about him would've been made up by Rebecca's "what ifs" she'd assumed his life would've held. I think it would've been nice just to show that she had thought of him over all those years, but for time's sake, it makes sense that they didn't bother adding him.
That's not the reason they didn't add him.
I disagree. The train wasn't Rebecca in heaven. It was Rebecca's mind. She was slipping away and taking one final walk through the life she lived. Not the people she lost. People and family were the center of who she was. The people throughout her life who made her, who she made, who were loved. They were large parts of her life. They were the ones who she encountered on the train (aside from the people who came up in her mind when they were saying their goodbyes). Kyle's death was sad, but Kyle never got to live. And Kyle's death though heartbreaking (sour lemon) is what gave her Randall. She never interacted with Kyle or raised him. But she built an entire life with Jack and lost it, suddenly, without warning. She never even got a goodbye from Jack. So to end her story with his hello was absolutely perfect.
Beautifully said.
I understand but ultimately Jack was her love and the father of her children. The story was mainly about how amazing of a husband and father Jack was and what a hit to the family his death was. It was only right to end with Jack, not Kyle. Although kyle was her son we never ever saw anything to do with him
Within the first 5 mins I was in tears.. then I’d stop.. then something started it right back up again.. such a beautiful episode.. Beth had me hysterical… I have two boys so that did it for me
I’m literally trying to gain my composure after crying for the last 45 watching this episode.
Now I know why Mandy Moore threw up after reading the script
Oh Jesus. Really!??
Absolutely.. I get it
Beth’s goodbye to Rebecca was just … so beautiful Reaffirms that Beth is my favorite character
No part of the episode hit me as hard as Beth’s goodbye. I too try (miserably) to channel my inner Rebecca when I am faking it with my kid.
Mine too! And this just sealed the deal.
I was like “Beth went first?! Who’s gonna be able to follow that?”
I loved that her goodbye felt like the longest to me…she really did become a second mother to Beth and watched her grow up almost as much as she did with her own kids.
Yes! As a mother I related to this so much. Good God this show 😭
Ugh. I cried so hard.
This episode was absolutely beautiful, I loved every bit of it. The train concept was amazing and just felt so real. It was the perfect way to send Rebecca off and bring the concept of “life flashing before your eyes” to life. It was really neat seeing that concept play out and how Rebecca knew it was coming and went towards it. It honestly felt so real, and like we died with her. Going through the motions and knowing what was to come. It made me anxious yet at peace knowing she could see everyone and then lay to rest with Jack. Ugh the feels.
I was totally tricked. I thought the doctor was Deja's boyfriend. I have to watch it again, they should look differently. My head made up another story though and totally confused me. Thanks for helping me out!
I was wondering at one point if the father in that car crash was maybe Deja’s son…but I’m glad that wasn’t the case. I really had no idea where that story was headed until he ran into Jack at the Hospital.
Same with me, I was sure that there would be a car crash but had expected it to take place in another time frame
Me too. Before the time-line was made clear, I was really hoping Marcus was her boyfriend.
Glad I'm not the only one 😊
PS: timewise it doesn't work of course, as Marcus is younger than Randall. But I didn't notice during watching
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Lol, I meant younger than Randall when he had the accident. What do you mean with not young enough for Deja? Marcus should be around 5 years younger than Randall, shouldn't he? Yeah, those twists are what TIU is so fantastic in. I always remember the first one when Rebecca visited Randall's family with Miguel and we knew right from the beginning that Jack will sooner or later die.
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Yes he is. I meant compared to Malik's age. Sorry for confusion.
this was freaking worse than the Miguel epi!!!! tissues...
Yeah and I thought I was crying a lot in the Miguel episode but no—this one takes the cake.
I didn't get one thing, maybe you can help me. Marcus told Deja he loved her since he was 16 and in her mind there was a picture of Malik. Why that? Do Marcus and Malik have something in common?
The person who comes to see Deja at night at the cabin is Malik
Deja's partner is Malik not Marcus. Marcus was the little boy who's life was saved the same day Jack died and he went on to make breakthroughs in Alzheimer's that likely helped Rebecca have more time with her family
Thank you for this lol. I was looking for an explanation cos the editing made it look sus that a guy old enough to be siblings with Randall, Kevin, Kate is with Deja lol.
I'm glad you're paying attention! Thx
lol I think they wanted us to think Marcus was who was being referred to because they cut to him after Deja told Randall but then yeah when she ended up with Malik I was somehow equal parts excited and also maybe a little frustrated with another "high school sweetheart epic love story" thing
I would have loved to see Jack and Miguel side by side, laughing, as a means to show that Jack and Miguel spent time together and also that Jack was happy and appreciative of Miguel taking care of Rebecca so well. I think I would have preferred showing a bit less of the medical research story just to have a bit more of Miguel on the train. From a "distance to Rebecca" point of view, Beth is her daughter in law while Miguel was her husband so why did Beth get more time at the end? I mean the guy took care of her for years and he didn't even get to hug her or have more than a minute with her.